Method of making shoes having predetermined uppers



Aug. 7, 1951 J. D. CHANDLER METHOD OF MAKING SHOES HAVING PREDETERMINED UPPERS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 12, 1949 inventor James D. (handler Aug. 7, 1951 J. D. CHANDLER METHOD OF MAKING SHOES HAVING PREDETERMINED' UPPERS Filed May 12, 1949 s Sheets-Sheet 2 fnvenzor James D Chandler By /-z 3 AH ney 7 A 1951 J. D. CHANDLER 2,563,100

METHOD OF MAKING SHOES HAVING PREDETERMINED UPPERS Filed May 12, 1949 s Sheets-Sheet 5 Inventor 93 James D Chandler" Patented Aug. 7, 1951 METHOD OF MAKING SHOES HAVING PREDETERMINED UPPERS James D. Chandler, Swampscott, Mass., assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application May 12, 1949, Serial No. 92,762

3 Claims.

This invention relates to the manufacture of shoes having predetermined uppers, i. e., shoes in which the upper is pre-cut to fit the last.

In practicing the conventional processes of manufacturing various types of shoes havin predetermined uppers, the upper is pre-cut to a size such that when a shoe bottoming member or memberswhich may, for example, take the form of a sock lining or other type of sole member, platform cover strip or welt-is stitched thereto prior to the placing of the shoe on the last preparatory to completing the shoe, the upper generally snugly fits the last. However, in the conventional processes the upper is not conformed to the last by the placing of the upper and attached bottomin member or members on the last in the sense that the stretch in the upper materials or any inaccuracies in the size of the upper resulting from inaccurate patterns, dies, cutting and fitting are removed from the upper. Consequently, shoes with predetermined uppers made by the conventional processes frequently do not fit the foot nor retain their shapes as well as do conventionally lasted shoes, such as Goodyear welt shoes.

It is a principal object of this invention to provide a method of manufacturing various types of shoes having predetermined uppers by the practice of which the previously mentioned stretch and inaccuracies in the upper may be eliminated from'the upper prior to the attachment thereof to the shoe bottoming member or members. The invention contemplates the conforming of the upper to a special last or form which is shaped substantially like a normal last, with the exception that a portion of or the entire bottom of the special last has added thereto a thickness of predetermined amount substantially equal to the allowance on the upper required for attaching the upper to the shoe bottoming member or members. The upper is trimmed along a line corresponding to the feather line, or the corner of the bottom of the added thickness of the special last, thus resulting in a pre-lasted upper from which the stretch and inaccuracies have been removed and which is shaped substantially like the normal last, plus the required allowance for attachment of the shoe bottoming'member or members. i

The process is applicable to the manufacture of any type of shoe having predetermined up pers, e. g., prewelts, stitchdowns, and platform soles, and it may be practiced with respect to the entire upper or any desired part thereof. A particular advantage of the process is that it is applicable to the manufacture of closed toe shoes.

The process will be illustrated as applied to the manufacture of platform and prewelt shoes having closed toes and closed heels.

Reference is now made to the accompanying drawings wherein,

Fig. l is a side view of a normal last;

Fig. 2 is a side view of a special last which is substantially equal in size and shape to the last of Fig. 1 plus an added thickness of material over the entire bottom thereof;

Fig. 3 shows the upper of a shoe, the vamp and quarters of which are provided with a lasting allowance;

Fig. 4 shows the upper on the special last'after the pulling over operation;

Fig. 5 shows the bottom of the shoe on the spe' cial last after the side lasting and the bed lasting operations, and the trimming of the upper while on the last;

Fig. 6 shows the marking of the quarter lining along the bottom of the added thickness on the special last while the upper is on the special last;

Fig. 7 shows the alternative method of trimmin the upper, viz.', after it as been removed from the special last;

Fig. 8 shows a special last with the added thickness on thebottom forepart only;

Figs. 9 and 10 are partial sectional views taken on the lines IXIX and XX, respectively, of Fig. 11 which is a side view of a completed slip lasted platform shoe;

Fig. 12 is apartial transverse sectional view through the toe of a slip lasted prewelt shoe; and

Fig. 13 is a partial transverse sectional view through the toe of a prewelt shoe.

Considering first the application of the process to the manufacture of closed toe platform shoes, in Fig. 1 there is disclosed a last I 9 which is identical in all respects with the normal last used in conventional methods, which last, as is well known, is inserted in the shoe after the attachment of the upper to the sock lining (and cover strips when a platform shoe is being made) prior to the completion of the bottom of the shoe. This last is referred to hereinafter as the normal last.

In Fig. 2 there is disclosed a last 12 which is substantially identical in size and shape with the normal last H3, except that there is added to the bottom of the last [2 material [4 substantially equal in thickness to the width of the seam allowance on the upper necessary for attaching the upper to the sock lining. The addition of the thickness l4 produces a last the bottom of which has a corner or feather l6 which, in the illustrated case, extends completely around the last.

If desired, a last or form may be made integrally incorporating the added thickness. Regardless of how made, the oversize last or form i2 is referred to hereinafter as the special last. That portion of the special last corresponding to the normal last need, not necessarily'be identical in.

size and shape with the-normal last since it may be desirable to have the special last of somewhat less peripheral extent around the toe than in the case of the normal last, because of the. tendency of the lower margin of the upper of the shoe to flatten out or stretch when the sock lining or other shoe bottom member is: stitched thereto; To compensate for the lesser volume of such a last, the vertical height thereof may be slightly increased, or the thickness of the. material. added to the bottom thereof may be increased.

In Fig. 3 there is disclosed an upper including a vamp l8, lining 28, quarters 22, counter lining 24'and counter 25 in the counter pocket formed bythe quartersand quarter lining.

The patterns fromwhich the vamp, vamp. lining, quarters and quarter lining are out are drafted as in conventional shoemaking; except that provision is-made fora lasting allowance 26 of approximately one-half inch on the vamp and its lining and-a lasting allowancezl'ofiapproxi mately a quarter inch'on thequartersand quar ter linings. A toe box -23; preferably of theactivated or mulled-type, is-provided.

The upper is then assembledion the'special last 12 in the usual manner, and the te box'28'is in-1- serted' betweenthevamp i8 and itslining 26, unless this insertion has been previously made. The upper is then conformed to the last. The manner in which this may be accomplished may be practiced in a wide variety of ways; One satisfactory method of conforming the'upper'to'thc special last I2. is the presentation of the lastand upper to a conventional pulling over machine; Thepulling over operation stretches the entire upper forward of the last and generallyconforms the upper to the last; particularly rearward of the tip line of the shoe, and the machine auto-- matically drives upstanding tacks through the lasting allowance 25mm the-bottom forepart of the special last to hold the upper in its pulled over position. In Fig. 4 the tacks are numberecl 29 and-shown to be seven in number in the illustrated case. The usual tack driven in' the heel seat'in the prior assembling operation isdesignated -Zifi in Fig. 4, and the added thickness of material [4 on the bottom of the last is seen; in the illustrated case, to be held on the last'b'y tacks i;

The shoe may then be side lasted'with upstandingtacks 3i, as shown in Fig. 5.- This lasting, if used, may be accomplished by hand or machine. If desired, prior to such lasting, in themaking'of lined shoes, adhesive may be applied between the lining and upper to securethe same together in the regions. rearwardly of thetoe box, thus far cilitating-later attachment of the upper to .the sock lining.

Theshoe may then be lasted forward of the tip line by the use of a conventional bed lasting machine and inserting the upstandingtacks 32, also seen inFig. 5, whichshows the upper at the end of such operation. Prior to this operation all except the two rearmost tacks 25 inserted by the pulling over machine may be removed. It will be seen that the forepart of the upper has been conformed to the last !2 and the rear part has been snugly fitted to the last. If desired, the

shank and heel of the upper may also be lasted in, although not so shown in the drawings.

It will be appreciated that the foregoing described lasting of the upper to the last or form produces an upper from which the stretch has been. removed and which is shaped. above the corner l6 of the special last 12 substantially like the normal last Iii, except that a seam allowance equal to the thickness of the added material I4 is added to the upper. It will be appreciated that this. conforming of the upper to the last may be accomplished by various other methods than those set: forth hereinbefore without departing from the substance of the invention.

The upper is then trimmed along a line corresponding to the corner l6 of the last. This trimming may be accomplished with the upper on or off the last, and may be accomplished by hand or machine. Fig. 5 shows the trimming of the-upper while onthe last, in which case. the cutting implement 33: is employed to trim the vamp i3, lining2ii, toe box 28, quarters 22, quarter lining 24 and counter 25 along a line correspondingtothe corner It or bottom of the last l2.

Whenthe trimming is done off the last, in any part of the shoe Where the lasting allowance of the: upper hasnot beenlastedin overthe bottomof thelast, e. g., at the rear oftheshoeshown' inliig. 6., aline [Ga-may bedrawn along the corner It: ofthe last on the insidev of the quarter lining by asuitablemarking implement 34. The upper may thenbe removed from the-last and trimmed. alongthe lineifia andcrease ltbshown inFig. 7,.the latter being formedon theliningby, thecorner lfi'of thebottom of the last. l2 in the region where'the lasting allowance of the upper hasbeenlastedin over the bottomof the last; It .willbeappreciated that in theevent the upperhas been so lasted in. all around the shoe, the-crease; ifib wouldbe formed all around the insideof .the'same. If desired, thetrimmingmay bemade alongJthe crease I 6.0 formedv on theoutside ,of the upper.

The preceding describedprocess produces an upper. for a shoe from which the stretchand inaccuracies have been removed" and which .isishaped substantially'like. the normal last'l 0, except that the. requiredzseam allowance is: added thereto;

The invention. also contemplates applying the method to'only the forepart or. onlythetoe end of:'an upper; Considering the; practice of the invention as applied to the forepart only of the shoe; an .upper: is :provided 1 having a. lasting allowance :of; approximately one-half :inch forward of:.'.tlie. ballline. and cut to size rearward .of the ball line-in"theconventional manner, i. e., to fit the normal last l0 of'Fig." l'with'theiusual seam allowance. correspondingly, the special last l2 (Fign8) .hasiadded to'the bottomof the forepart a thickness of *material 5Dequal to the desired seam allowance. The upper is assembled on the special last I 2, the toe box inserted, and the upper is pulledover and the forepart lasted in. The

forepart of the upper is then trimmed either on the last or off the last, all as previously set forth. Itwill be appreciated that after the trimming operation, the upper will have'been' conformed to the last and have the required seam'allowance around its entire bottom.

In the-event that the process of'the invention isemployed only at the toeof the shoe; it is merely necessary that the vamp rearward of the tip line and'the quarters be cut in the manner usually employed, for example, in prewelt shoemaking; andthe vamp forward of the tip line be cut with the lasting allowance of approximately one-half inch. A special last substantially identical in size and shape with the normal last is employed, except that it has added thereto the additional described thickness forward of the tip line. The upper is assembled on the last, pulled over, lasted in and trimmed, all as previously set forth.

Of course the invention may be practiced in the forepart or at the toe end only of the shoe and the remainder of the shoe may be lasted in any desired manner.

Having prepared the upper as previously explained, the shoe may be completed according to conventional methods. If not previously inserted, the counter may now be put in the counter pocket, and as shown in Figs. 9, 10 and 11, the bottom member or sock lining 60 is attached to the vamp, quarters, linings, toe box and counter by the seam 52 which extends completely around the shoe, and the front and rear cover strips 64 and 66 are united to the upper and sock lining by the seam 68 which also extends completely around the shoe. If desired, the trimming of the upper and the attachment of the sock lining and cover strips can be done simultaneously. The normal last I0 is then inserted in the shoe, the platform 10 is laid, covers 64 and 66 lasted in, and outsole l2 and heel M- attached to the shoe. The bottom of the shoe may, of course, be completed in any other desired manner.

Prewelt shoes may be made according to the method of this invention in the same manner as the platform shoe described except that as shown in Fig. 12, a welt 80 is substituted for the platform cover strips, and the outsole 84 is attached by the outseam 86 passing through the outsole and welt.

In the event the process of this invention is employed to make prewelt shoes, as shown in Fig. 13, the special last may be produced by adding to the bottom of the normal last a thickness of material equal to the combined thickness of the insole 94 and inturned margin 18a of the upper. The upper is provided with a lasting allowance as previously explained, the upper is lasted over the special last, trimmed, and is then ready for attachment of the welt 90 by seam 92 which passes through the inturned margins of the upper members and welt. The shoe may then be completed in the conventional manner, e. g., the insole 95 may be placed on the bottom of the normal last 10, the upper assembled on the last, filler 96 applied and outsole 98 attached by the outseam I00.

It will be readily appreciated that uppers for stitchdown and other types of shoes may be made in much the same manner as'iust explained. It will be noted that the thickness of material added to the bottom of the normal last in preparing the special last will vary according to the construction of the shoe being made.

Although the method of this invention has been illustrated in connection with the making of closed toe, closed heel shoes with box toes and counters, it will be appreciated that it is equally applicable to the making of shoes of other types. However, when applied to closed toe or closed heel shoes, it is particularly advantageous in that the heel or toe of the shoe, as the case may be, is well formed. By the process it is possible to make closed toe shoes on the more extreme styles of lasts, such as high heel and Wall lasts.

In the manufacture of certain typ s o 1 6 it may be desirable to dispense with the insertion of the normal last in the shoe. Also, in some cases it may be desirable to employ a special last which corresponds to only a part of a normal last, e. g., the forepart or toe.

It will be appreciated that this invention discloses a method for making shoes having predetermined uppers, the whole or any part of which ma be subjected to the method to eliminate stretch and inaccuracies from the upper prior to attachment of the upper to a shoe bottoming member. Where the process is practiced with respect to a part of a shoe only, the remainder of the shoe, e. g., the shah and heel, may be completed in any desired manner. The method is applicable to the manufacture of any type of shoe incorporating a predetermined upper, and isnot limited to the types of shoes disclosed herein.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. That improvement in methods of making shoes which comprises the steps of providing a form which is substantially equal in size and shape to the desired size and shape of the entire interior of the completed shoe plus an added increment of predetermined thickness on the bottom thereof, conforming an upper to that part of the form having the added thickness, and trimming the upper along a line corresponding to the bottom of the added thickness.

2. That improvement in methods of making shoes which comprises the steps of providing a form which is substantially equal in size and shape to the desired size and shape of the entire interior of the shoe being made plus an added increment of predetermined thickness on the bottom thereof, conforming an upper to that part of the form having the added thickness including turning the lasting margin of the upper over the bottom of the additional thickness, removing the upper from the form, and while the upper has no last or form therein trimming it along the crease formed by the said over turning.

3. That improvement in methods of making shoes which comprises the steps of providing a form which is substantially equal in size and shape to the desired size and shape of the interior of the completed shoe plus an increment of predetermined thickness on the bottom thereof, shaping an upper over the form, turning the bottom margin of the forepart of the upper over the edge of the bottom of the form in order to form a crease therein, scribing a mark on the rear part of the upper along the edge of the bottom of the form, removing the upper from the form, trimming the forepart of the upper along the crease formed therein, and trimming the rear part of the upper along said mark.

JAMES D. CHANDLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,120,489 Hilgert Dec. 8, 1914 1,706,504 Warren Mar. 26, 1929 2,032,655 Finberg et a1. Mar. 3, 1936 2,377,570 Moskowitz June 5, 1945 2,393,540 Kleven Jan. 22, 1946 2,425,420 Chandler Aug. 12, 1947 2,438,821 Quinn Mar. 30, 1948 2,444,493 Bostock ,mmmswm... July 6. 1948 

